Gingerbread season has arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Insert all the exclamation points and fun, festive happy dancing, here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could I be anymore excited?!
Please tell me you read that in the voice of Chandler Bing (hello, Friends for life), if not, go back and read it again . . . I’ll wait . . .

And just in case you weren’t sure, the answer is no, I could not be any more excited – choosing to ignore the fact that gingerbread season means that Christmas is just around the corner and I haven’t even come close finish my Christmas shopping yet . . . am I stressed . . . little bit but . . .

I have a fresh batch of gingerbread muffins so I’m choosing to focus on that.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who is crazy excited for all things gingerbread?!

I don’t know what it is about that combination of spices, it just makes me feel all the fun and festive feels (just in case you didn’t know, Christmas is my absolute favourite) and warms me down to the depths of my soul.

Maybe it’s because gingerbread is not something we have everyday. The acceptable window for gingerbread consumption is just a few short weeks, really just the month of December, so I think that helps to make it extra special.

Speaking of extra special . . .

You guys, these gingerbread muffins . . . where do I begin ?!

Aptly named the best ever/ my absolute fave because they really truly are. By December 4th and I may have made them 3 times already . . . Im sorry it took so long for me to share them with you, life has been cah-razy, I know you get it . . . but, one bite of these light, fluffy, perfectly spiced gingerbread muffins and all will be forgiven . . .

Yes, they really are THAT good!

Soft, tender, subtly sweet, perfectly spiced and just all kinds of wonderful.

Made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and can be ready to devour in less than 20 minutes!

Serve them simple as they are, drizzle with a traditional powdered sugar glaze or a little melted coconut butter. Extra cinnamon for me please!

Or you totally serve them with this whipped vanilla cream cheese frosting, or this espresso cream cheese frosting or even this dark chocolate espresso ganache – or make a platter with some of each! ← this will be happening!!

However you choose to do it you really can’t go wrong!

Perfect to have on hand to fuel the frenzied, frantic , last minute Christmas shopping or just because IT’S GINGERBREAD SEASON!!!!!!!

And just when you thought you couldn’t love them anymore, this recipes makes just 6-9 delicious little muffins so it’s perfect for those moments when you’re craving a slice of gingerbread (or 2) but don’t want to bother baking, or can’t be trusted with (←we’ve all been there) an entire loaf (or batch of 12-24)

And, these babies are 100% freezer friendly so you can totally get a head of the game, and make them now, pull them out of the freezer on Christmas Eve, Christmas brunch, sorted!

1 bowl + 7 ingredients ( a handful of spices) and 20 minutes and you too could be devouring this deliciousness!

Gluten Free – Dairy free – Grain free – Refined sugar free –  Low Carb – Paleo – Keto  – Vegan friendly !!

All natural, quick and easy, subtly sweet, soft and tender, perfectly spiced gingerbread muffins . . .

From my heart to yours, enjoy xo

Let the festive fun, begin!!!!!!!

• I used Macro Mike limited edition caramel popcorn plant based almond protein powder ! Its gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, boosted with probiotics & truly tastes all kinds of incredible. Its hands down without question the smoothest, most delicious, elite tasting protein power (plant based/dairy free or otherwise!!) I have ever tried. And I have tried A LOT!  Use AMB-EM to get a cheeky discount if you want to try it & believe me, you do!
• You “can” sub 1/2 tsp coconut flour in place of the protein powder but the flavour & nutritional boost the protein pwd adds really make  these muffins extra magical!

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Question of the day –

What’s your fave festive treat??

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your muffins (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post Classic Style Gingerbread Muffins first appeared on Better with Cake.

–

I hope you’ve had your coffee boys and girls because today we are going to have ourselves a short, sharp total body HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout that you can get in and get done in just 10 minutes, no equipment required!

Get in, get it done, and get on with living!

So, here’s what we are going to do –

5 exercises;

Squat
Reverse Lunge
Push Ups
V-Ups
Burpees

We will do each 10 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next and repeat the entire sequence through, resting as needed, for as many rounds a pretty in 10 minutes.

Nothing complicated, basic movements done with good form for a short but effective total body workout.

And remember, we want quality not quantity, always! Never compromise your form, ever! If your form starts to fail your done, got it?

Take your time, concentrate, focus and breathe through each and every exercise. You are strong, you are amazing, you have big energy! You’ve totally got this!

And because nothing makes a workout challenge more fun than getting a buddy to join you. Why not grab your BFF or a family member or your fave workmate and have them join you, power in numbers baby!

Don’t forget to come back and let me know how you did once you’re done. Either leave me a message in the comments below, or you can give me a shout on the Facebook page or tag me (@EmSwanston) on Twitter , or Instagram (@emsswanston) . I mean it, I wanna hear how you did!

Ok enough chit chat time to work –

 
– 10 Minute –

Total Body

HIIT Workout

As always make sure you are nice an warm before you start your workout – Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, jump rope, dance around your living room, anything to get you warm then it’s time to get serious.

Finish with a nice little cool down and stretch, maybe take a walk or something anything to help bring your heart rate down. Finish with a few of your fave stretches. Please don’t skip the stretch people, its like dessert for the body.

Now onto our smoothie recipe . . .

How does a nice tall, decadent, rich, subtly sweet, secretly healthy, seriously chocolaty, espresso infused, minty fresh iced peppermint mocha sound?

You guys, this smoothie . . . it’s one of my all time fave holiday flavor combinations and just makes my Christmas lovin’ heart all kinds of happy.

The decadent richness of cacao combined with that gentle hum (or loud rev if you prefer) of espresso and that subtle hint of minty freshness  . . .

So good!

Oh and I should probably mention that not only does our deliciously indulgent, creamy, dreamy, fun and festive super smoothie taste like straight up Christmas in a cup but, it also happens to be vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, BANANA FREE , keto and paleo friendly!!!

So much to love I tell you and love it you will

It really is simply divine, the perfect way to treat yo’ self and refuel and re-energize that beautiful body of yours on this fabulous Friday.

 Sugar Free Iced Peppermint Mocha
Makes 1 nice tall, decadent, rich, subtly sweet, secretly healthy, seriously chocolaty, espresso infused, minty fresh iced peppermint mocha.

Ingredients –

1/4 cup vanilla coconut or Greek style yogurt

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)

1/3-1/2 an avocado – optional – makes it extra creamy and lush

1 Tablespoon of cacao

1 teaspoon of instant (or 1-2 shots of) espresso

1/4 tsp of peppermint extract – or 1 drop of peppermint oil ot 1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves

A pinch of salt

1/4-1/2  cup of ice – more or less to desired consistency

Note – for a sweeter coffee feel free to add in a splash of vanilla, stevia or sweetener of choice.

Optional add in’s;

1 teaspoon of maca powder – optional for hormone balance

1-2 scoops of  Vital proteins unflavored collagen peptides – Optional for an extra does of protein and gut healing goodness

1 scp protein powder – for extra protein (chocolate, vanilla or unflavored would work best in this recipe) – I use Proganics Vanilla whey – you can use EMS10 to get 10% off

Method –

1 – Place all smoothie ingredients into your and process until smooth, creamy and well combined.

2 – Pour into a chilled glass or mason jar then top with toppings of choice

Enjoy xoxo

Don’t forget to give me a shout out when you’re done – hit me up in the comments below via the Facebook page on Twitter or on Instagram

Now go;

and have yourself a killer day xoxo

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The post 10 Minute {No Equipment} Total Body HIIT Workout & A Sugar Free, Iced Peppermint Mocha first appeared on Better with Cake.

How about you?!

Are you super organized and ready for the festive fun to begin or are you frantically running around trying to get things finished?!

I think I’m doing pretty well this year and even though I’m making great progress on my to-do list I feel like there is still so much to be done?!

So, because it’s such a busy time of year – you may already be on the road traveling or just not able to get to the gym so today I’m sharing a short, sharp lower body workout that you can do anywhere, anytime in just 15 minutes, no equipment required, and is guaranteed to get your heart rate pumping, endorphin’s flowing and leave you feeling strong, energized and ready to take on the rest of your day!

You guys know how how much I love, love, love my lower body workouts, The lower body is where your powerhouse muscles are (I’m looking at you quads, glutes and hamstrings) so even without any added weight you’re guaranteed to still get some serious bang for your workout butt, I mean buck

I should warn you though just because you’re “only” using your body-weight as resistance doesn’t not make this an easy workout. Your quads and glutes will be burning by the final round, trust me!

That being said, if you do have access weights or are able to make it to the gym by all means, feel free to use them. Just make sure you choose something appropriate for your strength but, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.

So, here’s what we are going to do –

4 basic exercises – Step up into a Reverse Lunge – Squats – Jump Squats – we will do 10 reps of each exercise then repeat the entire sequence through for a total of 4 rounds, sound good?

I’m not allocating any specific rest breaks in today’s workout but I want you to listen to that beautiful body of yours and rest as needed.

Anytime you feel like you need to take a break to catch your breath and grab a little drink then by all means please do so, and take all the time you need. However, if possible try to wait until you get to the bottom of each round to do so but, do what you gotta do, OK?!

Catch your breath, grab a drink then get straight back into it, deal?

Take your time, concentrate, focus and breathe through each and every exercise. You are strong, you are amazing, you have big energy! You’ve totally got this!

And because nothing makes a workout challenge more fun than getting a buddy to join you. Why not grab your BFF or a family member or your fave workmate and have them join you, power in numbers baby!

Don’t forget to come back and let me know how you did once you’re done. Either leave me a message in the comments below, or you can give me a shout on the Facebook page or tag me (@EmSwanston) on Twitter , or Instagram (@emsswanston) . I mean it, I wanna hear how you did!

Ok enough chit chat time to work –

15 Minute Lower Body Workout

As always make sure you are nice an warm before you start your workout – Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, jump rope, dance around your living room, anything to get you warm then it’s time to get serious.

Finish with a nice little cool down and stretch, maybe take a walk or something anything to help bring your heart rate down. Finish with a few of your fave stretches. Please don’t skip the stretch people, its like dessert for the body.

Now onto our smoothie recipe . . .

How does a nice tall, creamy, dreamy, fun and festive, secretly healthy, iced gingerbread latte sound?

It’s subtly sweet and perfectly spiced with a gentle hum (or big rev if you prefer) of espresso

It really is simply divine, the perfect way to treat yo’ self and refuel and re-energize that beautiful body of yours on this fabulous Friday.

Oh and I should probably mention that not only does our delicious, nutritious, iced gingerbread latte taste like an absolute dream but, it also happens to be vegan, dairy free and paleo friendly – so much to love I tell you

Iced Gingerbread Latte
{Vegan. Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes 1 all natural, subtly sweet, perfectly spiced, secretly healthy, holiday inspired shake with a nice little hum of espresso

Ingredients –

1/3 cup coconut or Greek style yogurt

2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)

1/2 an overripe banana (preferably pre-frozen)

1-2 shots of your favorite espresso (or 1-2 teaspoon of instant coffee)

6-8 drops of Vanilla Cream Stevia – I use Sweet Leaf Stevia  (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

1 teaspoon of maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of allspice

1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

A pinch of cardamon (I use 1/2 of my 1/8th teaspoon measure)

1/4-1/2  cup of ice – more or less to desired consistency.

Optional but recommended for serving –

Coconut flakes

Cacao nibs (I like to use this Cacao Crunch by Power Super Foods)

Method –

1 – Place all smoothie ingredients into your and process until smooth, creamy and well combined.

2 – Pour into a chilled glass or mason jar then top with coconut flakes, cacao nibs (or crushed up chocolate coated coffee beans) if desired

You could also add in a scoop of protein powder (vanilla, chocolate or unflavoured would work well in this recipe) and some great lakes gelatin for an extra boost of protein if you’re into that kinda thing – do what you feel baby

Enjoy xoxo

Don’t forget to give me a shout out when you’re done – hit me up in the comments below via the Facebook page on Twitter or on Instagram

Now go,

and have yourself a killer day xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

What’s your favorite/go to quickie workout when you really want to get a good sweat on but your pressed for time??

Feel free to share tips, tricks and/or links to your fave workouts in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make this smoothie (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post A 15 Minute Booty Building Workout & A Iced Gingerbread Latte Recipe first appeared on Better with Cake.

Now that December is officially upon us and Christmas is just a few shorts weeks away I thought it would be fitting that we have ourselves a fun and festive holiday themed workout, that you can do anytime, anywhere in just 15 minutes!

And yes, this really is my idea of fun

What do you say, are you up for the challenge?!

Here’s what we are going to do – a “12 days of Christmas” progressive ladder workout and it looks a little something like this . . .

How it works is, you will progress through the workout just like you do when you sing that much loved Christmas classic . . .

For example –

1 x burpee

Then 1 x burpee + 2 x hand release push ups

Then 1 x burpee, 2 x hand release push ups and 3 x knee to elbow planks

And keep going, starting at the beginning and adding in the next exercise until you get to the 12th and final one.

Oh and FYI – all single leg movements like rear leg raises, mountain climbers, knee to elbow planks, step ups and lunges are reps per leg, you’re welcome

I know it looks pretty innocent on paper, especially when you have it in mind that you’re “just” using your body weight as resistance but, never before will you be so happy to be asked to perform a set of high knees

Trust me, this workout is no joke!

It may be only 15 minutes but, you will be one hot, sweaty mess once this workout is complete.

Hot sweaty mess = yes but, you will also feel like a million bucks, energized, recharged and focused and ready to take on the rest of your day. Promise!

What do you say?

Nothing complicated, basic movements done with good form for a short but effective total body workout.

We will move from one exercise to the next with minimal/no rest in between – I’m not allocating any specific rest breaks in today’s workout but I want you to listen to that beautiful body of yours and rest as needed.

Anytime you feel like you need to take a break to catch your breath and grab a little drink then by all means please do so, and take all the time you need. However, if possible try to wait until you get to the bottom of each round to do so but, do what you gotta do, OK?!

Take your time, concentrate, focus and breathe through each and every exercise. You are strong, you are amazing, you have big energy! You’ve totally got this!

And because nothing makes a workout challenge more fun than getting a buddy to join you. Why not grab your BFF or a family member or your fave workmate and have them join you, power in numbers baby!

Don’t forget to come back and let me know how you did once you’re done. Either leave me a message in the comments below, or you can give me a shout on the Facebook page or tag me (@EmSwanston) on Twitter , or Instagram (@emsswanston) . I mean it, I wanna hear how you did!

Ok enough chit chat time to work –

12 Days of Christmas
– No Equipment –
Total Body Workout

As always make sure you are nice an warm before you start your workout – Run on the spot, do jumping jacks, jump rope, dance around your living room, anything to get you warm then it’s time to get serious.

Finish with a nice little cool down and stretch, maybe take a walk or something anything to help bring your heart rate down. Finish with a few of your fave stretches. Please don’t skip the stretch people, its like dessert for the body.

Now onto our bonus smoothie recipe . . .

Smoothies are a great option for your post workout refuel, not only are they insanely delicious but, they also make it super easy for the body to absorb and digest those precious nutrients, they are seriously convenient, quick and easy to prepare and, a great option for those of us who don’t have much of an appetite post workout.

It’s so important to nourish and re-energize your body post workout, you want to make sure  you give those muscles some fuel so that they can rebuild and repair themselves after working so hard.

How does a nice tall, light, fresh, delicious, nutritious, subtly sweet, creamy, dreamy, cranberry vanilla coconut cream smoothie sound?

Oh you guys this smoothie is straight up heaven in a cup!

The combination of those slightly tart cranberries with the subtle sweetness of our creamy frozen banana, a splash of vanilla and that hint of sweet nuttiness from the coconut yogurt  really is truly incredible!

FYI – this pretty little glass of deliciousness also happens to be packed with protein and  slow release, low GI carbs that will help refuel and re-energize that beautiful body of yours.

It really is simply divine, the perfect way to treat yo’ self and refuel and re-energize that beautiful body of yours on this fabulous Friday.

Oh and I should probably mention that not only does our delicious, nutritious cranberry vanilla coconut cream smoothie taste like an absolute dream but, it also happens to be vegan, dairy free and paleo friendly – so much to love I tell you

Cranberry Vanilla Cream Smoothie
{Vegan. Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes 1 all natural, light, fresh, thick, creamy, delicious, nutritious, subtly sweet, pretty pink, fun and festive smoothie.

Ingredients –

1/3 cup coconut or Greek style yogurt

2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)

1/2 an overripe banana (preferably pre-frozen)

1/2 cup frozen cranberries

4-8 drops of Vanilla Cream Stevia – I use Sweet Leaf Stevia  (could sub 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

1/4-1/2  cup of ice – more or less to desired consistency.

For serving –

Coconut Flakes

A sprig or two of fresh mint

Method –

1 – Place all smoothie ingredients into a blender and process until smooth and creamy.

2 – To serve, pour into a chilled glass/mason jar or bowl and top with shredded coconut and fresh mint if desired.

Note – You could also add in a scoop of protein powder (vanilla or unflavoured would work really well in this recipe) and some great lakes gelatin for an extra boost of protein if you’re into that kinda thing – do what you feel baby

Enjoy xoxo

Don’t forget to give me a shout out when you’re done – hit me up in the comments below via the Facebook page on Twitter or on Instagram

Now go,

and have yourself a killer day xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

What’s your favorite Christmas song?!

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make this smoothie (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post A 15 minute {No Equipment} “12 Days of Christmas” Total Body Workout & A Cranberry-Vanilla Coconut Cream Smoothie first appeared on Better with Cake.

Healthy, homemade pumpkin spiced almond butter.

You guys . . .

I honestly don’t know what to tell you . . .

I really think I may have out done myself this time . . .

This, right here . . .

This is a little jar of heaven on earth.

Seriously!

I knew it was going to be good, two of my great loves combined, I mean how could it not be?!

Golden, delicious, nutrient rich, buttery almonds are lightly toasted then combined with a splash of vanilla, a heart warming hum of our fun and festive, healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix (which is a little jar of awesomeness all on it’s own made with just cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, cloves & cardamon – it’s pretty much Christmas in a cup!) and a cheeky pinch of salt.

I mean come on now, what’s not to love?!

But you guys . . . I was not prepared for just how incredible this pumpkin spiced almond butter would actually be!

Not even close!

After my first tasting I actually laughed out loud at because I just could not believe how ridiculously delicious it was!

Then a few hours later I still couldn’t quite believe it so I figured I’d best have another little taste (or two, or threee, or four).

You know, just to be sure that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me and that this pumpkin spiced almond butter was, in fact, as delicious as I believed it to be when I was licking the blades of the food processor clean tasting it earlier.

And yep, it was. Actually, I think it was better second time round once it had cooled and the flavors of our spices had a chance to settle in really infuse those creamy, dreamy, buttery almonds.

Yep, delicious! No question!

Honestly though, this healthy, homemade pumpkin spiced almond butter is so insanely delicious that saying it’s delicious does it no justice what so ever!

Not even close!

I wish I could find a better way to describe it but I just can’t!

I can not seem to find any words descriptive enough to tell you just how incredible this pretty little jar of nut butter tastes.

And you know how I love to use alllll of the words.

I even googled synonyms for delicious to see if I could find anything that I hadn’t already thought of to help me describe it to you! ← Yes really!

It gave me suggestions like;

Tasty, flavoursome, flavourful, delectable, inviting, very enjoyable, luscious, scrumptious, delish, scrummy, yummy, moreish, exquisite, delectable and lovely.

All very accurate but still not enough!

One taste and you will think all your Christmases have come at once and if you ask me, they totally did!

It really is THAT good!

This healthy, homemade pumpkin spiced almond butter is so much more than “just” delicious and I know you are going to lose your pretty little mind once you get a chance to taste it for yourself!

As always our healthy, homemade almond butter is made with no refined flours or sugars, using just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

Once you’ve roasted those golden delicious, nutrient rich almonds you’re divine little jar or perfectly spiced almond butter comes together in under 10 minutes!

It also happens to be vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly but, most importantly, it’s insanely (and I mean I-N-S-A-N-E-L-Y) delicious and you need it in your life like, yesterday!

Here’s how you do it –

Start off by giving our golden, delicious, nutrient rich almonds a quick little roast in the oven – toasting our nuts before we blend our butter helps to give it a more decadent and rich depth of flavor – please don’t skip this step. Yes it’s an extra 5-10 minutes but, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth it!

Now, once our almonds are nicely toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do is toss those golden nuggets of deliciousness into your food processor or blender and you’re pretty much done!

Initially your nuts will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our almonds and in a matter of minutes,

You will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your almonds are whipped into a creamy, dreamy golden, delicious nut butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Once that’s done we simply add our vanilla, pumpkin spice mix along with a cheeky pinch of salt –

give it one final blendy mcblend and voila’ – there you have it;

Healthy, homemade, creamy, dreamy, pumpkin spiced almond butter for the win

Once you have your little pot of deliciousness go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . .or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon . . .

do what you feel, no judgement here

And I’m not saying that you have to but, I strongly suggest that you do . . .grab yourself a big ol’ block chunk of your fave dark chocolate then add a generous spoonful of your creamy, dreamy, pumpkin spiced almond butter. . .

and maybe even sprinkle over an extra cheeky pinch of that heart-warming pumpkin spice mix . . .

And lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created.

All natural, quick and easy, thick and creamy, subtly sweet, perfectly spiced, healthy, homemade pumpkin spiced almond butter

Pumpkin spice allllll of the things!!!!

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

 

Healthy, Homemade Pumpkin Spiced Almond Butter
{Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, delicious, nutritious, perfectly spiced, healthy, homemade almond butter

Ingredients –

2 cup of raw almonds

1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean extract

1 teaspoon of healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour on your almonds, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your almonds for 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and deliciously golden.

4 – Pour your roasted almonds into the bowl of your food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds wil grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt then process until well combined.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla or pumpkin spice if you feel the need and, if you prefer a thinner/more runny consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavor? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your pumpkin spiced almond butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Healthy, Homemade Pumpkin Spiced Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

So um, Christmas is just a few short weeks away . . .

Did you know?

Are you ready?

I’m really not.

Not even close!

I blame the jet-lag . . . also the fact that I lost an entire day somewhere above the Atlantic while I was living it up in business class  . . .

Anyways, Christmas is here, I am completely unprepared but I am determined to get myself organized and into the holiday spirit ASAP!

Say hello to Santa’s little helper . . .

All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, seriously chocolaty, delicious, nutritious, date free, peppermint mocha bliss bites!

Because to me, nothing says Merry Christmas quite like a peppermint mocha.

I really think you guys are going to love, love, love these babies!

Not only are they super quick and easy to prepare made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already but they come together in 1 bowl in a matter of minutes!

No food processor or blender required!

Simply throw your ingredients into a bowl, give it a stir then you are ready to rock and roll and of course devour enjoy and enjoy you most certainly will!

Our quick and easy, secretly healthy peppermint mocha bliss bites are seriously fudgey, decadent and rich without being overly sweet.

They are intensely chocolaty with a nice little hum of espresso and subtle hint of minty freshness and, just when you think they couldn’t get any better, because coffee + chocolate = absolute awesomeness, wait for it, wait for it – they also happen to be secretly healthy and loaded with nutritional value.

Our dark and delicious, chocolate-mint, espresso infused bites of delicious are high in calcium, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. They are rich in antioxidants, packed with protein, heart healthy fats, amino acids and those all important omega 3’s.

They also happen to be vegan and gluten free! But, most importantly they are insanely (and I mean insanely) delicious!

Now, you could serve them simply, straight up, just as they are or, if you’re really wanting to treat-yo-self could toss those delicious, nutritious, choc-mint-espresso infused blissful bites of deliciousness in a little cacao,

or some coconut which will add a crazy cool textural element to our soft and chewy, super fudgey, seriously moorish bliss bites, or . . .

If you’re feeling extra festive you could crush up a candy cane or two and add an extra crispy, crunchy, seriously festive sparking burst of minty freshness  just because you can.

I’m thinking you might want to go ahead and make a double/triple batch to keep on hand not only for your own enjoyment, but to make sure you’re stocked and ready for any unexpected visitors that may land on your door step in the coming weeks,

You could also pop them in a cute little jar, throw on some ribbon and you have yourself a pretty sweet little homemade gift. Something you could get the kids involved in too.

Seriously winning on so many levels!

I feel like I should mention that when I make my bliss bites I tend to make them way smaller than the ones you see in stores or cafes. I prefer to make them on the smaller side because I like being able to just pop one in my mouth on the down low so I don’t have to share I can go about my business. I would say you would probably need 3 of my bliss bites to make up the size of one of those store bought/cafe size bites. Feel free make them whatever size that tickles your fancy, just wanted to put that out there

Anyways . . .

All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, secretly healthy, delicious, nutritious, super fudgey, intensely chocolaty, espresso infused, seriously festive, minty fresh, date free bites of deliciousness – 

Because for me Christmas isn’t Christmas without a peppermint mocha or two!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

{Date Free} Peppermint Mocha Bliss Bites
Makes approx 15 – All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, secretly healthy, delicious, nutritious, super fudgey, intensely chocolaty, espresso infused, seriously festive, minty fresh, date free bites of deliciousness
Ingredients –

1/4 cup of Tahini
2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract (or 4-6 drops of vanilla cream stevia – I like to use Sweet Leaf Stevia ) *
1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract (or 1 drop of peppermint stevia I like to use Sweet Leaf Stevia ) *
1 teaspoon of instant espresso
1/4 cup of finely shredded, Desiccated Coconut
1/4 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of quinoa flakes (paleo friend sub in 2 extra Tbsp of almond meal + 2 Tbsp of  coconut – Non paleo friends you could also probably sub 1/4 cup of instant oats if you prefer)
2 Tablespoons cacao
1 Tablespoon Chia seeds
1 scoop of vital proteins collagen peptides – optional *

Optional for serving –

Cacao
Finely shredded coconut
Candy Canes, crushed.

Method –

1 – Place all ingredients into a medium size bowl and stir to combine.

2 – If the mixture is a little dry add some extra water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it sticks together to form a sticky “dough”

3 – Scoop a small section of dough and shape roll in the palm of your hand to shape into bite size balls, repeat until all the mixture has been used. FYI – I use approx 1 heaping teaspoon per bite which makes them the perfect size for popping into your mouth on the down low so you don’t have to share

4 – If you are going to coat your bliss bites in cacao, coconut or crushed candy canes simply place your cacao, coconut and/or candy canes into a small bowl or zip lock bag and gentle press/shake until nicely coated. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Enjoy xo

I order mine online from iherb.com – you can use the code NHN329 to get 10% off  your first order or 5 % off if you’ve ordered through them before

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Question of the day –

What’s your fave holiday treat? Store bought, homemade – it’s all good

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make these bliss bites (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post {Date Free} Peppermint Mocha Bliss Bites first appeared on Better with Cake.